Commissioners OK pair of new contracts

The county has sealed its toilet paper deal for six months. WARREN -- Two new contracts approved by Trumbull County commissioners are expected to save the county some cash this year. The new pact for waste collection, for example, is expected to save the county more than $10,000 over a year's time, said county Administrator Tony Carson Jr. Commissioners awarded a $20,761 contract Wednesday to Browning-Ferris Industries of Ohio, Youngstown district, for the period of May 1, 2005, through April 30, 2006. BFI will service the county's dog pound, jail, 911 center, administration building, health department and other locations. The 2004 contracts for trash removal for the same locations were $30,906, and were handled by BFI and the city of Warren. The other bidders this year were Tri-County Industries Inc., Grove City, Pa., $21,717; and Waste Management, Glenwillow, Ohio, $30,301. Also Wednesday, W.J. Service, 2592 Elm Road N.E., got a six-month contract from May 3 through Nov. 2 because its prices for toilet tissue, multifold towels and hand cleaner were less than what could be obtained through the state's centralized purchasing program, Carson explained. There's also a six-month renewal option. Breakdown in savings For example, toilet tissue from W.J. Service is $27.95 a case while it's $56.52 a case from state purchasing; hand cleaner is $18.75 a case from W.J. Service and $46.99 a case from the state. Carson said the new contract will be a 12-percent increase over what the county had been paying, but is still less than the state's program. The deal solves the toilet paper shortage that was created in March when Unisource Worldwide Inc. of Independence, Ohio, had notified the county that the company could no longer fulfill the contract awarded on Oct. 6, 2004, to furnish janitorial supplies. W.J. Service had submitted the only bid for the new contract. County officials have been sure to note when purchasing deals are money-savers, in light of a purchasing scandal brought to light in 2003, which showed exorbitant prices had been paid for cleaning supplies and equipment. Prosecutors said Tony Delmont, former maintenance director, spent more on cleaning supplies than necessary in exchange for bribes from vendors. He has pleaded guilty to bribery, money laundering and theft-in-office charges. Prosecutors said he had stolen about $400,000 from the county since 1998.